PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 1, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Paragon BioTeck, Inc., a privately held pharmaceutical and medical device company, announced today a call for applications for the 2017 Koch Kellan Scholarship, awarded annually to an outstanding graduate medical student committed to pursuing a clinical, teaching or research career in ophthalmology. A Paragon Gives initiative, the Koch Kellan Scholarship reinforces the fundamental mission of Paragon BioTeck to drive innovations to address unmet and underserved medical needs and improve the quality of lives around the world.

The Koch Kellan Scholarship application and guidelines will be available at KochKellan.com (http://kochkellan.com/) from September 1, 2016, through December 1, 2016. The application and all supporting materials must be postmarked by December 1, 2016.

Applications will be reviewed by scholarship namesakes and industry giants: Paul S. Koch, MD, and Robert E. Kellan, MD, and additional members of the Scholarship Review Committee. Once selected, the 2017 Koch Kellan Scholar will be invited to attend the 2017 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) annual meeting in Los Angeles, to be held May 5-9. At the conference, the Scholar will be formally presented with the award and given the opportunity to learn more about the ophthalmic industry.

“It is our honor and pleasure to mark the professional contributions of Doctors Koch and Kellan by continuing their long legacy of mentorship in our field,” stated Patrick Witham, President & CEO of Paragon BioTeck. “Through the Koch Kellan Scholarship program, Paragon Gives cultivates a next-generation leader in ophthalmology. By recognizing the talents and commitments of a new ophthalmic innovator each year, we help build a stronger profession and further Paragon’s mission to continually elevate the standard of eye care.”

The 2016 Koch Kellan Scholarship was awarded to Hasenin Al-khersan, a third-year student at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. As an adolescent, Mr. Al-khersan accompanied his grandmother to her glaucoma appointments, serving as a translator; later, he deepened his ophthalmic interests through cataract and glaucoma research and volunteering as the leader of Sight Savers, an organization that provides free glaucoma and vision screenings for the South Side Chicago community.

About Paragon Gives and the Koch Kellan Scholarship:
Paragon Gives ( https://paragonbioteck.com/gives/ ), a Paragon BioTeck, Inc., initiative, supports a number of charities and organizations, including those within the biotechnology and health care arena. The initiative also works with individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact on our customers, vendors, investors and industry as a whole.

The Koch Kellan Scholarship affirms the commitment of Paragon BioTeck to elevating the standard of eye care through addressing unmet and underserved medical needs and improving the quality of lives around the world. It was first awarded to Captain Edward Woodward of the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, whose compelling personal connection to the field made him the ideal inaugural recipient.

About Paragon BioTeck, Inc.:

Paragon BioTeck, Inc. (https://paragonbioteck.com/) is a privately held pharmaceutical and medical device company specializing in the development and commercialization of ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, devices and therapies. Paragon BioTeck’s portfolio of products is designed to protect and preserve eyesight and deliver comfort to the eyes.

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